Mar 17, 2013

Luff: 414 Boom: 173

The names of ODL09 technora and C1295 laminatesmay not sound too intriguing, but it’s withthe use of these high-tech materials that Hot Sails Maui can make the claim that their Firelight is thelightest sail on the market. We didn’t pull out thescale to fact-check, but we must say this Firelight5.3 is impressively svelte, as it is one of the biggestsails in the test and constantly got mention for itssuper-light feel and handling. Perhaps the most amazing thing about this sail, though, is how itchanges your board. With less weight on the nose,it suddenly becomes livelier and planes up sooner than ever before. You can use this advantage eitherto get away with less volume than you’d normally ride, or enjoy the fact that your board is planing in so little wind.

Without the need to be extraordinarily powerful, Hot Sails Maui puts the draft at a moderateposition that, at speed, feels efficient and wellbalanced. There’s a bit of softness to the Firelightthat becomes more noticeable as it goes from powered to overpowered, but while it’s within itswind range the ride is stable and effortless. On the wave, it had great de-power, and the light weightmakes you feel confident to ride the board onthe wave without having to worry about the sail. On flatwater, we loved how the sail did its best todisappear in our hands both in a straight line, aswell as transitions.

As with most lightweight things, one can’t helpbut wonder about durability. In the case of the Firelight,the high-tech materials are durable enough that Hot Sails Maui fully expects it to be ridden hard in the most extreme conditions. And a close look seesplenty of reinforcement on all of the most exposedparts of the sail, so fear not. hotsailsmaui.com

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